Popular Gifts for Dad

It is almost Father's Day, at least here in Germany. Did you know that Germany is the only country that celebrates Father's Day (Vatertag) differently from the rest of the world? Father's Day is celebrated on the Ascension Day, the Thursday forty days after Easter. It is also a Federal holiday here so that it is really a day worth celebrating with the family.

But no matter where you are in the world, we do celebrate Father's Day. It may be celebrated in different months, but it is a day that we take the time to honor and thank our Fathers.  What better way to do this than to give them something that shows our appreciation for all their hard work, support, guidance and love.

If you are puzzling over what to give your Father or your husband on that day, you could give them popular gifts for dad like maybe a new smart phone? I really find this iPhone 4 interesting... with a dollar print and the line that says "In Dad We Trust"....

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Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today, we remember how Mary said YES to God, that despite being an ordinary person, God's grace will always be gifted to those who are humble enough to accept it.

Photo taken in 2009 at the Vatican Museum in Vatican City in Italy.

As a friend priest in Japan, Fr. Resty Ogsimer puts it:

The lowly handmaid of the Lord who, like us, was a person in pilgrimage on this earth and who because of her openness to God was ever growing. Like us, her complete faith also involved the chalice of suffering and the daily trials of life. Mary's Immacute Conception shows what God's grace is: gift, not reward!

Wherever we are in the world, our faith remains. May the Immaculate Heart of Mary continue to pray for us. May we, like her, be able to say YES to God's will and not our own.

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Happy Fronleichnam!

Today is both a national and religious holiday here in Germany, and in some other European countries as they celebrate Fronleichnam or Corpus Christi. Here in Germany, it is celebrated on the Thursday after the Trinity Sunday and in some places, on the following Sunday. Corpus Christi or officially known in the Catholic Church as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ does not commemorate an event in the life of Jesus Christ but celebrates the Body of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. I guess that is the essence of this celebration.

Text translation: "Jesus, strengthen our faith."

While it is of religious origin, Germany still celebrates it to this day although I doubt that many understand the meaning of the celebration nor do they know the reason behind this day being a "holiday". One can see though the Catholic and Anglican churches having different religious activities to celebrate this day. And in some "Dorfs" or small villages especially here in Baden-Wuerttemberg, this religious tradition is still very much celebrated in a colorful procession or parade. They even have very colorful flower carpets with different religious images and messages.

Photos: Freiburg-Schwarzwald.de 

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Station of the Cross for Children

So it is Holy Week. I wanted to do something spiritual for a change but I let the opportunity to attend a recollection pass. It was scheduled yesterday and I opted to just stay home and do housework instead. There will be a Pabasa on Thursday and Friday though and I know that we will be there to attend it. It really is different how they observe Holy Week in a foreign land. It is very much different than in the Philippines and although there are some areas that really do observe the Holy Week and perform Passion plays, the atmosphere is just different from what I have been used to as a child.

Looking back at the Catholic traditions that I have grown up to, I feel so blessed and lucky. I also want my daughter to grow up with such kind of experience because it is an important part of our being Catholics and Christians. I guess now that she is a bit bigger, I can slowly teach her about the bible and about who Jesus Christ is. And this Holy Week, I want to do the Stations of the Cross with her. I found this series of videos on YouTube that will just be the perfect material. Then we can all pray together as a family come Good Friday.

Here's the second part of the video. For some reasons, the uploader disabled the embedding of the first and third parts.

Here is wishing everyone a blessed Holy Week and a beautiful Easter celebration.

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Off To Bamberg

Tomorrow, we will be going on a trip to Bamberg, a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is known as one of the few cities in Germany which was not destroyed during the World War II bombings because of the nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from getting near to Bamberg. Our purpose for going there is to join the Filipino community in the celebration of the Santacruzan, an old Filipino Catholic tradition to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary. Perhaps we could also go on a little sightseeing around the area if time permits because it boasts of beautiful churches and old architecture. And maybe a little einkaufen (shopping) at Mohren Haus, the house of beautiful things.

The Filipino community in Stuttgart recently held it's Santacruzan last Sunday. We also went to hear mass and watch the procession of angels, Reyna Elenas and the Blessed Virgin, and watched the program after the mass. It was a nice event because we got to see our fellow Filipinos in another religious gathering. We had fun... The service was made more special because it was said in English and was celebrated by a Filipino priest, Fr. Simon. This is the second year that we witnessed the Santacruzan here in Stuttgart. Perhaps when Samantha is a little bigger, she will be invited to be one of the angels too. :D

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Thursday is Fronleichnam

I am lucky to be living in a Catholic state here in Germany because I am able to practice my belief / religion freely. But did I tell you that the state imposes religious tax? I think you have to pay 3% of your net income for religious tax. This is probably the reason why many people here have chosen to declare themselves atheists. But whether one pays religious taxes or not, one is still welcome to join the services or Gottesdienst. The church doors are always open for everyone. However, if you want to have your child baptized or confirmed or have their first communion, I think that is the time when you really need to pay your taxes.

But anyway, we just celebrated the Pentecost, the time when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles. The church thinks of the Pentecost as the birth of the church. On Thursday, June 3rd is another Catholic celebration: the Fronleichnam or Corpus Christi, where we honor the Holy Eucharist. That means, it is going to be another public holiday in most of the German states. I consider that Eucharist as an important aspect of my Catholic life because through it, I am in communion with God as I partake of the bread and wine. As Catholics, we see to it that we hear mass and take part in the Eucharist every Sunday. With the service done in German, it is quite difficult to focus. But a priest friend once told us that even if you do not understand everything that the priest is saying during the service, you still receive grace. And that is what matters.

I hope everyone has a beautiful month of June! May you all be blessed.

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It's Holy Week!

It has been a while since I updated this blog. A month to be exact... I have been busy with online tasks and some contests aside from my usual routine as a Mom and as a follower of Christ. And tomorrow, it's already Palm Sunday, the beginning of what we call the Holy Week in the Catholic tradition. In some countries, like in the Philippines, and also in Germany, the Holy Week is observed and is even declared officially a national holiday, especially Thursdays (Holy Thursday), Fridays (Good Friday), Saturdays (Black Saturday) and Sundays (Easter Sunday).

This is a big celebration in the Catholic tradition because it commemorates the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It's Palm Sunday tomorrow and our Sto. Nino Group will be celebrating a mass in English in advance today. But why do we celebrate Palm Sunday? This is to remember and reflect on the beginning of the many events that followed in Jesus' life to fulfill the scriptures and the prophecy.

In between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, we are given the time to remember and reflect on the details of the Passion of Jesus. One can say that the last week of Jesus' life was "crammed" with events: it started with his glorious entry into Jerusalem and ended with his death on Good Friday. In between those, Jesus preached and taught, presided over the Passover meal, stood trial and was condemned to death.

If you have been praying the Rosary, you'd be familiar with most of the events but way before the Agony of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, there is the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in which he rode a colt. This is to fulfill the prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9. "The people greeted him by placing palm leaves on the path the he passed, as though he were an earthly king; they were sure He would end the Roman occupation and Jerusalem would again be a Jewish city. They shouted, "Hosanna," which means "save us," and comes from Psalm 118: 26."

During the Holy Week, there are Passion Plays, Reading of the Seven Last Words, the Way of the Cross (which most pilgrims perform on Good Friday). This is to remember his passion and death and reflect on our lives. And we fast during the Lenten season. It is not only about not eating meat and drinking alcoholic drinks, it is mostly about depriving oneself of the material pleasures of the earth. If one loves to go shopping, one sacrifices and lets a week pass without going on a shopping spree. Or if one loves to dress up, one opts to dress simply and modestly instead. Or if one is addicted to Facebook or the Internet, one opts to do other worthy tasks like reading the Bible and taking time to reflect. It's all about depriving oneself of the things that gives him material satisfaction and earthly pleasures. These are just very small things (and so much a part of our daily life) in comparison to what Jesus had to sacrifice, HIS LIFE, so why don't we all give it a try?

If you can avail and go on a Holy Week Retreat, join one! If being physically present in a retreat is made impossible by a number of circumstances, there is a an ONLINE JESUIT RETREAT that you can attend. It is conducted by Fr. Johnny Go, SJ and is called "MEETING PLACES". It is a three day retreat, which starts on Maundy Thursday, April 1.

To quote Fr. Go's words in his blog:

I've called it "MEETING PLACES" because I think the mysteries of Holy Week unfold in three Lenten places: the Garden (Holy Thursday), the Hill (Good Friday), and the Tomb (Black Saturday). If we spend some time in those virtual meeting places, we may encounter the Lord in a special way.

Interested in joining? An essential part of this retreat is to prepare yourself because it is more importantly an opportunity to pray about your own life. You can start preparing by clicking here.

Let me leave you with a beautiful Jesuit song: How Lovely Is Your Dwelling Place. I hope that this Holy Week, you will find that your heart and soul is God's dwelling place.



I wish everyone a blessed and meaningful Holy Week! May God bless us all...

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Pit Senyor!

The caro bearing the Sto. Nino at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

Last Saturday was the 16th Sinulog celebration of the Filipino community here in Stuttgart, Germany. It was my very first time to join in the festivities as I have never experienced the Sinulog while I was still in the Philippines. Ironic, isn't it?

The Sto. Nino during the procession from the Cathedral in Rottenburg to the Festhalle...

Sto. Nino's at the procession...

It was a very fun celebration. We were blessed by God with a very good weather and the celebration went smoothly from the celebration of the Holy Eucharist down to the procession and then the continuation of festivities at the Festhalle.

Doing the Sinulog inside the Festhalle.


Pit Senyor Ate Vicky! May He answer your prayers...

While it was unlike the grand celebration that you see in Cebu, the Filipino devotion to the Holy Infant Jesus was very much alive when we danced to the music in worship and thanksgiving. I must admit that while dancing and while witnessing the others dance, I got teary-eyed, touched by the Holy Spirit and the realization that indeed, it will always be faith and the spirit of friendship and love that will bind and unite a community.

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